When words are worth more than pictures

'Inventing Race' is the intriguing title. But
I first went to LACMA West. It was of particular interest to me
to see the Latin American collection of art there, coming from New
York. Here could be seen superb works by Diego Rivera, David Alfonso
Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, Carlos Merida and others: fascinating
works that brought back deep memories of childhood. Through such
works it is possible to experience a full range of human emotions
painted by true masters in their medium. Then, at the main LACMA
entrance could be found bronze sculptures by Rodin, Francisco Zuniga,
G Kolbe and others. Walking up some steps, I found myself in the
central court. The Museum is composed of five different buildings
(not including LACMA West) - not an easy layout for first time visitors.
The exhibition is a collection of casta ('caste') paintings,
created primarily in the 18th century, for the European market as
providing evidence of the seemingly harmonious mixing of races in
Mexico. But there is an underlying agenda here which, while attempting
to demonstrate the extent to which the status of a family group is
lowered when cultures mix, actually portrays the Spaniards as the
number one race.

On first entering the gallery, you find a collection of paintings
that appear merely to depict people dressed in different costumes
with careful and elegant poses. There are also word captions inscribed
on the paintings though the connection with the words is not immediately
clear. But once you properly focus on the painting, and read the
text, it is no longer possible to just look at the works themselves;
you are compelled to read every phrase about them and grapple with
the flood of emotions - ranging from anger to sadness to outrage
- that they inspire, for those 'unfortunates', born to mixed race
parents. These works actually come to represent the cruel oppression
and outright criminal legacy of the colonial Spanish culture.

To follow are just a selection of the accompanying text.

From Spaniard and Black, a Mulato is born.

From Spaniard and Mulato, a Morisco is born.

From Spaniard and Indian, a Mestizo is born, generally humble,
quiet and unassuming.

Mulato and Indian make a Calpamulato, of impulsive temper, strong
and stocky.

From Indian and Calpamulato a Jibaro is born, usually restless
and always arrogant.

From Spaniard and Mestizo, their fondness of horses is passed to
a Castizo.

From Castizo and Spaniard, a Spaniard is born.

From Spaniard and Morisca, an Albino is born, nearsighted, weak,
gentle and benign

From Spaniard and Castiza, the beautiful result resembles her father
in every way.

From Mestizo and Indian, a Coyote is born.

From Black and Indian, a Wolf is born, bad ilk, and astute pickpockets.

From Wolf and Indian, a Cambujo is born, usually dense, lazy and
slow-witted.

One must add here that it is sad (to say the least) that most of
the above sentiments are still very much alive today in the global
culture, and the habit of labelling people is still actively and
fundamentally detrimental to race relations. Because of the negative
phrases here applied on each painting, this exhibition forces one
to confront the issues of race unequivocally, and hopefully to seek
solutions in mitigation.